EU probes mobile phone call costs

European Union (EU) telecoms regulators are to investigate whether fees charged when mobile phones are used abroad are too high.

Under the "roaming" system, mobile phones automatically find a local network when users travel abroad, allowing them to make calls.
These roaming charges are frequently higher than national mobile calls.
The investigation will take six months and regulators may choose to impose a ceiling on roaming fees.

The European Regulatory Group, which comprises EU member states' national telecoms regulators, is expected to complete the investigation before next July.

As a first step in the investigation into roaming fees, regulators have sent a detailed questionnaire to all EU mobile operators, including MMO2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Orange.

"Whether we travel on business or for leisure, many of us have had an unpleasant surprise when the next bill arrived," said Viviane Reding, Information Society and Media Commissioner.

"I hope today's initiative... will help us identify remaining competition problems in the 25 member states and resolve them as soon as possible."
Unfair and excessive

The investigation will run parallel to a separate EU probe into the roaming charges imposed by UK operators.

In July, the European Commission accused MMO2 and Vodafone of unfair and excessive pricing - which the companies denied.

Europe's competition authority has long been concerned about the level of roaming charges.

In 2001, it conducted raids of mobile phone operators in the UK and Germany, two of Europe's most important and advanced mobile markets.